Open letter to IOC and IPC from Ukrainian Athletes

A joint statement from the Athletes of Ukraine and Global Athlete

27 February 2022 / Updated 2 March at 16:30EST

Mr. Thomas BACH, President, International Olympic Committee

Mr. Andrew PARSONS, President, International Paralympic Committee

Dear Mr. Bach, Dear Mr. Parsons,

We write to you today on behalf of Ukrainian Athletes to call on you in your leadership capacity of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to immediately suspend the Russian and Belarusian National Olympic and Paralympic Committees. Any suspension must also include the banning of all athletes from international sport, including the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, supported by Belarus, is a clear breach of the Olympic and Paralympic Charters – a breach that must be met with strong sanctions.

Athletes, our countrymen, our families, and our friends are in grave danger as a result this aggressive assault by Russia and Belarus on our country. We plead with you to join the international community to sanction Russia and Belarus. The IOC and IPC must stand together, and in solidarity with Ukrainian athletes to immediately suspend both Russia and Belarus.

If the IOC and IPC refuse to take swift action you are clearly emboldening both Russia and Belarus violation of international law and your own Charters. Your lack of action will send a message to every athlete and the world that you have chosen Russia and Belarus interests over athlete interests. Your legacy will be defined by your actions.   

Make no mistake, Athletes in Ukraine are united in this call.  It has been a challenge to speak with all athletes from Ukraine as they are seeking safety in bomb shelters.

Signed on behalf of athletes in Ukraine:

• Vladyslav Heraskevych on behalf of all Ukrainian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation Athletes

• Olga Saladukha, Athletics Athlete on behalf of the Ukraine National Olympic Committee Athlete Commission

• Andrey Govorov on behalf of all Swimming Federation of the Ukraine Athletes

• Anton Dukach, Andriy Mandzily, Olena Smaha, Olena Stetskiv, Ihor Stakhiv, Andril Lysetskyi, Yulianna Tunytska on behalf of Luge Athletes from Ukraine

• Vera Perederiy, on behalf of Gymnastics Athletes of Ukraine

• Irina Budzinskaya, Yana Gladiychuk, Bohdan Chornomaz on behalf of Ukraine Athletics Athletes

• Biathlon Ukraine Federation and its Athletes

• Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine tennis

• Olga Harlan and Ukraine fencing team

• Vlad and Marina Alekseeva, Marta Fedina, Yakhno Yelyzaveta on behalf of Ukraine Artistic Swimming Athletes.

• Osksana Livach, Alina Berezhna, Anatasia Lavrenchuk, Kit, Tetyana, Anna, Hyria on behalf of Ukraine Freestyle Wrestling Athletes

• Olga Polyuk, Oleksandr Abramenko, Dmytro Kotovskyi, Oleksandr Okipniuk, Anastasia Novosad on behalf of Ukraine Freestyle Skiing Athletes

• Tara Shelestyuk, on behalf of Ukraine Boxing Athletes

• Ganna Solovei, Kseniia Fedotova, on behalf of Ukraine Cycling Athletes

Supported by:

• Belarus Sport Solidarity Federation Athletes

• Athleten Deutschland e.V.

• Katie Uhlaender, USA Skeleton Athlete

• Sofya Velikaya, Yana Egoryan, Sofia Lokhanova Russian Fencing

• Martins and Tomass Dukurs, Latvian Skeleton

• Dania Obratov, Dutch Luge

• Global Athlete

Updated on 27 February at 16:00EST

• Gemma Collis, 3x Paralympian, Great Britain Wheelchair Fencing Team

• Charles Altekruse, 2x Olympian, U.S. Olympic Rowing Team, Former Vice President, United States Olympians and Paralympians Association

• Jen McIntosh, Great Britain Olympian, Shooting.

• Liliana Fernández Steiner, 3x Olympian, Spanish Beach volleyball player.

• Vavrinec Hradilek, 2x Olympian Member of Czech national team in canoe slalom

• Bernhard Stomporowski, Olympian, Germany Rowing

• Alison Sydor Canada, Cycling, 4xOlympian, Olympic Silver medallist

• Mirela Rahneva, 2x Olympian, Canadian National Skeleton Team Member

• Drew Goldsack 2x Olympian Canadian Cross Country Skiing

• Andrii Govorov - Swimming – Dnipro

• Elsa Desmond- Representative of the Irish Luge federation

• Kharlan Olga - fencing - Mykolaiv, Kyiv

• Trunov Igor - Kayak - Dnipro, Poltava.

• Ivan Shmuratko - Representative of Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation

• Oleksandra Karakutsia - Trampoline gymnast - Kharkiv, Kyiv

• Natalia Dobrynska-chairman of Athlete Comision (Track and Fild) Vinnitsa

• Andriitsev Valerii - Ukraine wrestling federation, member of NOC, member of Athletic Commission NOC.

• Anastasiia Bryzgina-Ukrainian athletics federation - Lugansk,Ukraine

• Tkachuk Viktoriia - Ukrainian Athletics Federation

• Ukrainian speed skating federation

• Kozhenkova Anastasia-Dnepr Athletics Federations

• Kachur Yana - Ukrainian Athletic Federations, Kiev Ukraine

• Chubkovtsova Hanna - Ukrainian Athletic Federations, Kyiv Ukraine

• Anna Orlova- Ukrainian Athletics Federations, Dnepr, Ukraine

• Vegner Elena-Ukrainian Athletics Federations ,Lutsk Ukraine

• Anna Ryzhykova-Ukrainian athletics Federation ,Dnepr,Ukraine

• Yuliya Krevsun - Athletics Federation of Ukrainian Donetsk

• Kateryna Sadurska - Ukrainian Artistic Swimming Federation, Kharkiv, Ukraine

• Krystyna Yurchuk - Ukrainian athletics Federation, Donetsk region, Ukraine

• Shevchuk Hanna-Ukrainian Athletics Federation, Ivano- Frankivsk Ukraine.

• Sakharuk Mariia-Ukrainian Athletics Federation,Lutsk Ukraine

• Illya Kvasha - Ukraine diving federation – Kyiv

• Maksym Zvonov - Basketball - Kyiv

• Vasyl Ivanytskyi-Athletic federation,Lviv Ukraine

• Demchenko Yaroslav- Ukraine Athletic Federation Sumy Ukraine

• Olianovska Liudmyla Ukraine Athletics, Brovarulrts

• Mahuchikh Yaroslava - Ukrainian Athletics Federation, Dnipro,Ukraine

• Yana Bocharska - Track and Field, Kyiv Ukraine.

• Kozhenkova Anastasia - Rowing -Dnepr

• Nataliia Yurchuk -Ukrainian Athletics Federation, Kyiv, Ukraine.

• Cherkasova Alla - Wrestling - Kiev

• Nadiia Borovska - Ukrainian Athletics Federation, Lutsk, Ukraine

• Iryna Konchits - Ukrainian Athletics Federation, Kiev.

• Zantaraia Georgii -KIEV JUDO

• Horuna Stanislav- Lviv KARATE

• Polyjk Olga, Freestyle

• Mokhnatska Nadiya, freestyle, Ivano-Frankivsk

• Puzderko Mykola, freestyle, Ivano-Frankivsk

• Katarzyna Kociolek, Polish Pro Beach Volleyball Player

• Noah Hoffman, 2x USA Olympian, Cross Country Ski

• Nathan Weber Bobsled Olympian 2018 Team USA

• Dennis Rijnbeek, 2x Olympian, Dutch Swimming

• Greta Neimanas, 2x Paralympian, USA Cycling

• Paula Radcliffe, 4x Olympian, Great Britain long distance runner

Updated on 27 February at 20:00EST

• Paulo Frischknecht, 2x Olympian, Portugal Swimming

• Nancy Hogshead-Makar, 2x Olympian, USA Swimming

• Clara Hughes O..C., Canada, 6xOlympian/6xOlympic medalist speed skating and cycling

• Beckie Scott, O..C., Canada, 3xOlympian medalist Cross Country Skiing

• Justin Wadswoth, USA 3xOlympian Cross Country Ski

• Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser MD, Canada, 4x Olympic champion ice hockey, former IOC athlete commission member 

• Andrea Proske, Canada, Olympic Gold Medalist, Rowing

• Jennifer Casson, Canada, Tokyo 2020 Olympian, Lightweight woman’s double, rowing

• Jane Thornton MD, PhD, Canada, Beijing 2008 Olympian, Rowing

• Kyle Shewfelt, Canada, 3x Olympian, Olympic Gold Medallist Artistic Gymnastics

Updated on 28 February at 11:00EST

• Jill Moffatt, Canada, 2020 Olympian, Rowing

• Tammy Corness, Canada, 1992 Paralympian, Swimming

• Elizabeth Maier, Canada, 2018 Olympian, Skeleton

• Sharron Davies, MBE, Great Britain, 3xOlympian, Swimming

• Andy Astbury, Great Britain, 2xOlympian, Swimming

• Arseniy Lavrentyev, Portugal, 2xOlympian, Open Water Swimming

• Philippe Marquis, Canada, 2xOlympian, Freestyle Skiing, Member of the Canadian Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission

• Shona Schleppe, Canada, 1988 Olympian, Field Hockey

• Nuno Laurentino, Portugal, 2xOlympian, Swimming

Updated on 28 February at  20:30EST

• Eli Wolff, USA 2x Paralympian Football

• Dave Greszczyszyn Canada, Olympian, Skeleton Athlete

• Alex Kopacz, Canada, Olympian, Bobsleigh

• Haley Smith, Canada, Olympian, Cycling

• Kori Hol, Canada, Bobsleigh

• Jessica Sevick, Canada, Olympian, Rowing

• Miguel Arrobas, Portugal, Olympian Swimming

• Bruno Carra, Brazil 3xParalympian, Powerlifting

• Catharine Pendrel, Canada, Olympian, Cross Country Mountain Biker

• Meghan O'Leary, USA, 2xOlympian, Rowing

• Kristen Kit, Canada, Olympian(Gold medal) and 2x Paralympian (Bronze medal) Rowing

• Kaillie Humphries, 4xOlympic medalist (3X Olympic champion) Womens Bobsleigh

• Christine Nesbitt, Canada, 2xOlympian, Gold and Silver medalist, Speed Skating

• Raphael Gagné, Canada, Olympian, Mountain Bike

• Rosa Mota Portugal, Olympic Champion,  Marathon

• Ron Urick, USA, Olympian, Sprint Canoe

Updated 1 March at 12:00pm

• Curt Harnett, C.M., 4 time Olympian, 3 time Olympic Medalist, Track Cycling; Chef de Mission, Team Canada, 2016 Olympic Games

• Carling Zeeman, Canada, 2xOlympian, Rower

• Edwin C Moses, USA. 3xOlympian Champion, World Champion, Athletics 400m Hurdles

• Astin Darcy, Australia, Archery

• Julia Sude, Germany, Beach Volleyball

• Amy Nixon, Canada, Olympian 2006 bronze medalist, curling, Chair of the board of governors of curling Canada.

• Rosie MacLennan, Canada, 2xOlympic Champion, Trampoline

• Geoff Gaberino, USA Olympian Gold Medalist, Swimming

• Don Barcome, Jr., USA, Olympian, Curling

• Craig Wilson, USA 3xOlympian, Water Polo

• Tom Lough, USA, Olympian, Modern Pentathlon

• Katrina Radke, USA, Olympian, Swimming

• AthletesCAN, Independent representation of Canadian Olympians and Paralympian

• Gary Figueroa, USA, 2x Olympian, Water Polo

• Megan Neyer, USA, Olympian Diving

• Michele Mitchell, USA 2xOlympian, Diving

Updated 1 March at 20:45EST

• Michael Harris, Canada, Olympian, Curling

• Arlene Limas, USA, Olympic and World Champion, Taekwondo

• Laurel Brassey Iversen, USA, 2xOlympian, Indoor Volleyball

• Andrew Todd, Canada, 2xParalympian, Rowing

• Linda Carbonetto, Canada, Olympian, Figure Skating

• Maria Lamb, USA, 3xOlympian, Long Track Speed Skating

• Summer Mortimer, Canada, Netherlands 2xParalymian Champion, 5 World Champion swimmer.

Updated 2 March at 16:30pmEST

• Helena Scutt, USA, Olympian, Sailing

• Stefanie Schoenberger, Canada, Bobsleigh

• Steve Cohen, USA, 2xOlympian, Judo

• Cynthia Potter, USA 3X Olympic medalist, Diving

• Karla Karch (Gailus), Canada 2xOlympian, Women’s Basketball

• Inaki Gomez, Canada, Olympian, Athletics

• 1980 US Women's Volleyball Team

• Maxwell Lattimer, Canada, 2xOlympian, Rowing

CC:      Ms. Emma TERHO, Chair, International Olympic Committee Athlete Commission

Ms.Jitske VISSER, Chair International Paralympic Committee Athlete Commission

-ENDS -